Treatment of stage 1 cervical cancer
Gynecological cancer is treated with a low risk of recurrence if you consult a doctor at an early stage. In the first stage, cervical cancer deepens inside the organ, but does not spread beyond it. The disease at this stage is usually divided into two subcategories:
- Stage 1A cervical cancer is when there is a very small amount of cancerous tissue (less than 5 mm deep and less than 7 mm wide) that can only be seen under a microscope;
- cervical cancer at stage 1B – at this stage, cancerous tissue can be seen with the naked eye, usually its diameter is 4 cm or less; or the cancer is visible only under a microscope, but has a depth of more than 5 mm and a width of more than 7 mm.
The five-year survival rate for stage 1 cervical cancer with proper treatment is very high and is about 80%.
Diagnosis of cervical cancer in the first stage
A malignant disease at this stage is usually detected with a Pap smear and an examination by a gynecologist. If the result is abnormal, PET-CT, colposcopy, conical biopsy, MRI, CT and lymph node biopsy are also prescribed. Modern diagnostics allows you to see the smallest metastases in stage 1 cervical cancer.
Treatment of cervical cancer of the 1st stage of category A
At this stage of cancer, treatment usually involves the surgical removal of a small neoplasm. The operation is performed using a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus, including the cervix and a small amount of surrounding normal tissue) or a conization procedure. A hysterectomy is performed through a small incision below the navel or through the vagina, which avoids scars.
The conization procedure is more suitable for patients who want to have children in the future. During surgery, the surgeon cuts out only part of the cervix. If the cancer is completely removed, no additional surgery is required. If, upon further examination of the excised tissue, cancer cells are found on the edge of the removed sample, a hysterectomy is necessary.
If the patient cannot undergo surgery for some reason, radiation therapy is prescribed. In modern clinics, radiation is performed using high-precision technologies such as intensive modulated therapy. Brachytherapy is also available. As part of internal radiation, capsules with radioactive material are placed in the uterus, which destroys cancer cells and has little effect on healthy tissue. The ten-year survival rate for stage 1A uterine cancer without subsequent recurrence is approximately 95%.
Treatment of cervical cancer of the 1st stage of category B
The prognosis for cervical cancer at stage 1B is encouraging — complete recovery in 90% of cases. If the size of the tumor reaches 4 cm in diameter, the rate decreases to 70-80%. Such malignancies are best treated with combination therapy: using radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy.
A sentinel node biopsy is often performed before a hysterectomy. The nearest lymph node to the tumor is removed to determine if the cancer has spread. If the lymph nodes contain cancer cells, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are recommended instead of hysterectomy to destroy all metastases.
